School of Medicine professor and Wright Center director appointed to NIH steering committee to advance translational research

Gerard Moeller, M.D., director of the VCU C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research and Department of Psychiatry professor, has been appointed to the Clinical and Translational Sciences Awards (CTSA) Program Steering Committee by the National Institutes of Health National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences.

The CTSA Program is an initiative funded by NCATS to streamline the translation of new scientific discoveries into patient care. The program funds a network of more than 60 institutions across 31 states and Washington, D.C., including VCU’s Wright Center, which conduct local and national research in the pursuit of enhancing health care.

Made up of physicians and scientists from all over the U.S., the CTSA Steering Committee provides direction to NCATS on best practices to advance its mission of advancing translational research. Additionally, the committee facilitates coordination between CTSA institutions and partners in clinical and translational research.

“I am honored to be selected to be a member of the CTSA Steering Committee. I believe my selection to be on the committee highlights the esteem that the National Center for Advancing Translational Science has for VCU and our partner organizations in our CTSA network,” Moeller said. “I am excited to be able to provide a voice for VCU and our partners in the leadership of CTSA program nationally.”

The Wright Center was established in 2007 under the Office of Research and Innovation. It won its first CTSA grant in 2010 and was the first medical institution in Virginia to receive a CTSA designation. The center has received approximately $69 million in NIH funding since 2010, including an internal record-setting amount of $27.5 million in 2023.

In addition to his role as Wright Center director, Moeller serves as the university’s associate vice president for clinical research, director of the Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies at VCU and chief of the Department of Psychiatry’s Division of Addiction Medicine.

P. Srirama Rao, Ph.D., vice president for research and innovation, commended Moeller for his dedication to pioneering research and years of leadership at VCU.  

“This is a recognition of what we already know: Our university continues to impact the national conversation around collaboration and addressing the broad issues that hinder clinical and translational research,” Rao said. “I can think of no one who is more deserving or will bring more value to the steering committee than Dr. Moeller. VCU's representation at this level continues the rapid expansion of our research impact and influence both here in Virginia and broadly across the country.”  

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